Improving our Defense

So, assuming that we are not going to replace every member of our our defense, and three quarters of our midfield during the January transfer window, what is the best way to improve our defense?

 

A starter for 10 would be to promote Collins over Radlinger

 

If we cannot replace the entire back four, I would have an experienced centre half as the number 1 priority. Someone in the mould of past older CBs we've had like Long, Ramage and Moore who helped along those who hadn't yet achieved as much.

 

Id say the full back positions are more important than 1 centre half, so many chances/crosses come in from the wide areas due to poor defending. In other words its pointless strengthening central defence if we are still weak at full back. Vice versa.

 

We tried this last time we went down and ended up with Matt Mills who was no better than what we had. Just because they're older doesn't make them better. The results look to be gradually turning playing attacking football. I'd rather win, lose than draw games. Lost three of last six and made ground.

 

I honestly believe it would only take one, and the Kevin Long model is the prototype kind of player who would educate and organise the other defenders, who are not without potential. Might only need to be a loan deal, but failure to do this will seal our fate, I fear. Would contradict 'the plan' no doubt, but such things should be good servants not bad masters.

 

It ad' be sad to go down this time because this squad definitely has more attacking flare than the side that went down under Morais.

 

Kevin Long, James Chester, or Morgan from Leicester on a half-season loan.

 

Exactly this. The defence will improve with experience and some additional organisation which Struber has already acknowledged is needed.

 

Kevin Long did very well for us but he's only played 150 games mostly out on loan at league one clubs.He's 29 now and I don't know if he's played enough games this season to be sharp enough for the Championship.
If the club have watched him and they think he can do a job get him in to help us out.

 

We can't score 5 every week though. Our defence sucks. By that I don't mean the individual players, I mean as a unit we a like a colander. With one or, possibly two more experienced players at least till the end of the season, these individuals could learn & gain confidence. There is no way you gain confidence letting in 3 goals most weeks.

 

Kevin Long was 25 when he played for us. Way too old unfortunately.

 

1 centre back, that's it.

 

Looking at the next seven fixtures. Anyone we sign in January (if anyone?) has to be be with a view to February/March fixtures. The only games we could be slightly hopeful about are Millwall away and Huddersfield at home. The other five a freebies in the sense that I don't expect anything from them.

 

The keeper is by far the least of our concerns when it comes to our defence. That includes Collins or Radlinger.

Both are adequate keepers for this division and are only conceding as much as they because of the defence in front of them. If you have a look at each match we’ve played this season I can guarantee our keeper (doesn’t matter which one) has pulled off twice as many good saves as he has conceded.

 

By replacing it with the English spelling?

 

Can I throw something else into the mix. You all know that I am a systems man. Last week-end we played a high press and because of the high press we played a high defensive line with plenty of room behind. If we do that regularly, any new defender must be quick. When we play a narrow diamond in midfield, our attacking width comes from the high full backs, the centre backs have to cover the full backs and the man at the defensive point of the diamond must cover the centre backs. What that means is that if you want a new full back, he must be quick, he must be a good passer, he must be able to cross accurately and he must be fit enough to cope with the heavy workload in addition to being a better defender than either of our current incumbents. If you want a centre back, he must be able to read play from the position of the full back, and he must be quick enough to get over and cover the opposition wide player, when appropriate. The player at the defensive point of the diamond must be able to read the position of the full back, the position of the centre back, the positions of their advanced midfield players and strikers and take up a position that is most apt in the circumstances. I am only making these points because pace and fitness are a key requirements in all cases, and an older player or one that has not been playing regularly may not be up to the demands of the two systems that our coach uses most regularly.

 

Not like you to criticize...

 

To be honest, I am now so confused, I don't know how it is spelled. This way gets corrected in Word and the English way gets corrected here.